Drowning into Evanescence
by House-of-Aensland
Summary: In which two deaths are re-imagined, with just the slightest of twists. [Onesided] Takako/Hiroki, Shinji/Yutaka. Two-shot.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I wanted to play around with a few scenes in Battle Royale. While this chapter, Takako's death, doesn't deviate from the story so much, I hope that I managed to bring something to the table.

Pairing: [One-sided] Takako/Hiroki

Warnings: Character death, minor violence and language

* * *

"So it's..."

Takako felt the bullets pierce her back as she fell forward into the green shrubs, where thorns and loose rocks scraped her face.

"...Too bad." Mitsuko lowered her gun and turned away, calmly walking away from the dying girl.

_So, Mitsuko...you're playing the game? _She grimaced in pain, willing her body to move. _You could have at least finished me off. Bitch. _Takako's body wouldn't respond to her commands, frustrating her to no end. She could still feel a searing pain in her back as her hand gripped her weapon-an ice pick. _Doesn't look like this will do me much good anymore. _Still, she could bring herself to toss the weapon aside. _What if someone comes to finish me off? I can at least pretend to defend myself..._

_How disgraceful_, she thought, _to die like this_. Plants danced in front of her eyes as a gentle breeze blew through the forest. At the very least, she wished she had the strength to roll over. _Could the last thing I see be the sky, please? _It was funny how something so trivial meant the world to her now.

_No...I wish I could see someone else. _Images quickly flashed through her mind: Her mother and father, her little sister Ayako and their dog, Hanako, gathered together and somberly bidding farewell to her. Tears streamed down their faces as they silently mouthed 'goodbye'. Even now, did they know their daughter was on the verge of death? She saw her best friend, Kahoru, shouting "What about him?"

She thought of the handsome boy on the track team briefly, but more importantly-

_Hiroki. _The name seemed to invigorate her; her eyes flared open as she pushed herself up. _Hiroki...where are you? You need to be careful. Mitsuko-_ Her arm gave way and she collapsed to the ground once again. _I need to tell you, you must know-_

'Must know what?' Kahoru asked, a knowing grin on her face.

_Everything. _Takako thought. She realized that there was so much to say, but she was quickly running out of time. She needed to warn Hiroki about Mitsuko, if he didn't know already. A fleeting thought crossed her mind-_Is Hiroki already dead? Did Mitsuko get to him? _She quickly extinguished the idea. He couldn't be dead...right? _No. Hiroki is alive. He has to be. _A childish thought entered her mind; Hiroki bursting through the forest and sweeping her up. A romantic kiss, right before she passed into the next world.

A painful chuckle escaped her lips. _That's gotta be the stupidest thing I've ever thought of. _Still, she waited for a sign, anything to let her know that he was still alive. She was met with silence.

_So...this is it? This is how it ends? It's so quiet. _In a way, it was nice to leave like this. The forest was tranquil, and the wounds she suffered from were numb now. _Is it because of all the blood I've lost? _The cold seeped through her bones, and briefly she pondered how ironic the whole situation was. It was peaceful here in the clearing; yet, she had just murdered someone, and had been brutally attacked as well just moments-well, she wasn't sure how much time had passed, really-ago. She wanted to laugh. _What a world we live in._

_Please. Can I see him one more time? _

* * *

They were young children. Someone had just stolen Hiroki's comic book, causing the boy to cry.

"Come on, boys don't cry. Be strong." Takako chided with her hands on her hips. Seeing that Hiroki was crying harder at that, she added, "Wanna see my puppies?" She extended her hand to the smaller boy.

"...Okay." He sniffled, as he took her hand.

**/\\**

"Do you like anyone, Hiroki?" Takako asked, staring straight ahead.

"Hmm?" He seemed to be caught off guard by the question.

"Don't you have a crush?" Takako asked, hoping she wasn't being too obvious. She could feel his gaze burning into the side of her face.

"No...I can't say that I do."

_Not even in the running, huh? Whatever. _She couldn't deny the tiny clinch she felt in her heart.

**/\\**

"Who told you I had a crush?" Takako asked, surprised that Hiroki knew. What was even more surprising was that he cared enough to act. Did that mean he-

"It's floating around." He shrugged. "Any luck?"

"No. He has a girlfriend. How about you, Hiroki? Do you have a girlfriend yet?"

"Leave me alone."

* * *

_Please? _

She could tell she was on the verge of tears. _Did you like me? I mean, we've always had a thing for each other...right? Or was it all in my head? I liked you...did you feel the same? _

She closed her eyes, knowing how futile it all was. _I'll never see you again. _Another breeze rolled over, but this time she didn't shiver. _It's over. I'm going to go alone? _Suddenly she felt lighter, as if she was floating. Was this what dying felt like? _What an odd sensation._

"Takako, you can't die."

_Are you really here? _She opened her eyes. By some miracle, Hiroki was looking down at her. He seemed to be engulfed in the warm, orange rays of the setting sun. She could see treetops beyond her friend, and through the leaves, the pink and orange hues of the sky. She could smell the flowers that bloomed all around her, feel the weeds tickle her palm. She definitely wasn't in the same place where Mitsuko shot her. Had Hiroki carried her here?

"How-" The amount of energy it took to form these words surprised her. _I don't have much time left, do I? _"-did you...find me?"

"I managed." He replied quietly. He knelt down beside her and carefully held her head up. "Who got you?"

This was important. Hiroki needed to know; Takako wouldn't allow Hiroki to die as she had. Who gave a damn about Kazushi now? "Mitsuko. Watch out for her."

He nodded slowly. Then said, "I'm sorry."

_For what? _Her face must have shown her confusion, as Hiroki continued.

"I was waiting outside of the school for you. When Yoshio came back I-I got distracted. But then you ran and I...lost you. I went after you but I couldn't find you."

_Oh..._Takako had thought she heard someone calling her name when she first left the school, but she had been so afraid. Hiroki had waited for her, risking his own life by doing so. Even worse, he had probably spent all of his time looking for her, only to find her like this. She wanted to cry at the injustice of it all.

_I'll be strong for you, Hiroki._

Instead, she managed to form a small smile. "You did that...for me? Thanks." She wouldn't be able to talk much longer. But there was so much left to say; how could she let him know how much he meant to her?

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. "Do you like anyone?"

His eyebrows raised, but he answered. "I do."

"Don't say it's me." _Please, say it's me. _

His eyes softened. Though he still looked sad, he gave her a smile. "No, it's not."

_Damn...I wonder who I've lost out to?_

"Well then…" She took in a deep breath. This would be the last time she saw the afternoon sky, the last time she would ever see Hiroki. An eternal sleep was all that awaited her now. She could feel tears build up at the corner of her eyes. _I'm only fifteen..._

"Could you just...hold me tight? It will be over soon."

Hiroki's lips quivered slightly but held her up. She felt his warm arms wrap around her body as he pulled her close. _Ah, I'm staining your clothes with my blood. Sorry about that. _Her head began to fall backwards, but Hiroki held it up.

"You must survive, Hiroki." He looked down at her, sorrow evident on his face.

_Please God, just one more thing? _Takako thought desperately.

"You know...you've become quite the stud." She looked into his eyes and smiled.

"And you're...the most stylin' girl in the world." His eyes gleamed in the dying sun.

_Please don't cry. _She needed to tell him that it was alright, but she was out of breath. _It means so much to me that you came for me. That's enough. _She stared into Hiroki's eyes. _Thank you Hiroki. _She wasn't going to die alone.

_Be good, Ayako. Be a better girl than I was. _

_Sorry mom, sorry dad. Doesn't look like I'm coming home from this school trip._

_Thank you, Kahoru. I heard you loud and clear._

_Hiroki...I..._

Her eyes closed for the final time, a smile still on her face. It was then that Hiroki let the tears fall onto Takako's beautiful face. He held her body close as he cried.


	2. Chapter 2

Part II: Kazuo wasn't as thorough, allowing Yutaka and Shinji one last moment together.

Pairing: Yutaka/Shinji

Warnings: Violence, adult language, character death, slash

* * *

If Shinji believed in such things, he would have said it was a miracle that he survived that blast. He knew the bomb he made was going to be powerful, but this was a little ridiculous. _I'm fucking amazing._ While he knew Kazuo was alive-he had seen the little bastard walk away from the area just a few moments ago-he was, grudgingly, grateful that the sociopath had left. _Whether he thinks I'm dead, or good as dead...well, it doesn't matter. He's gone._

Now that the immediate threat was out of the way, there were more important matters to attend to.

"Yutaka-" The moment he opened his mouth, blood gushed out of it. The pain he felt coursing through his body was unimaginable. He could feel it shoot down from his chest down to his stomach, but he pushed himself up, swallowing the bile that threatened to spill from his mouth. _I have to check on him._ Shinji ignored the sharp pang he felt as he put some weight on his foot. _I wonder how many toes I'm missing? There goes my basketball career._ There was no way in hell he was going to check that out himself, though.

_Please, Yutaka. You've gotta be alive._ He dragged himself forward, towards the edge of the parking lot, where Yutaka was lying face down on the pavement. _Dammit, why did I have to be so stupid? If Keita hadn't shown up..._He didn't spare a glance at the other boy; he was focused on Yutaka. _If I hadn't been so careless...would you be alright?_ What was worse was that Yutaka's body had shielded him from some of the bullets-though, Shinji supposed, the first round of shots had been fatal for him as well.

_Still, if I hadn't been so distracted...maybe I could have saved us._ He dropped to his knees once he reached his fallen friend. He saw a row of bullet holes decorating his back. _There's no way he's surviving this._..Gingerly, he turned the boy over, softly cupping Yutaka's face.

"Yutaka…" He breathed out. Shinji felt hollow as he stared at the boy in his arms. Was it really only a couple of days ago that they were joking around, laughing at some stupid joke? What kind of fucked up society did they live in, where shit like this could happen to kids? "...I'm sorry." The pain from his wounds didn't compare to the remorse he felt.

"No, Shinji...It's my fault."

Shinji's head snapped to the side, eyes wide. "Yutaka?!" Y_ou're alive?_ The smaller boy smiled at him, trying pushing himself up in a sitting position. The front of his uniform was soaked in blood, and a steady trickle of blood was flowing from the corner of his mouth. The effort seemed to be too great for Yutaka; sweat was beading at his forehead, and his body was slightly shaking. "Don't move. Here." Shinji pulled Yutaka to him, so that he was leaning against Shinji. The added weight hurt like hell, but it was for Yutaka. Shinji would do anything for Yutaka.

"Shinji...I'm sorry." Yutaka cried out, quiet sobs escaping his body. "If it wasn't for me...you would have been off this island. All I had to do was...trust you." His head fell back against Shinji's shoulder. "You're hurt now...aren't you? You made Kazuo chase after you."

"It's not that bad. I'm just missing some toes." Shinji laughed, wrapping his arms around Yutaka's waist. _It hurts like a fucking bitch to laugh._ "It's nothing to worry about." _But...Yutaka, you don't need to know._

"You would have been better off without me, Shinji." Yutaka's breaths were labored. "You could have survived...why didn't you just run away?"

"I couldn't just...leave you." What a dumb question. _Come on, Yutaka. You're not this stupid._ "We're in this together...to the end, remember?"

"Why?" Yutaka breathed out. "Why didn't you just leave me?" Tears were pouring down his face.

"Don't say that. Yutaka…you're my best friend." He smiled. "You're the most important person to me. If I'm going to be mad at anyone...it's going to Kazuo. Or this fucked up government. But not you, Yutaka." _Never you._

"Why?" Yutaka asked again. Shinji wasn't sure if he should proceed. He didn't have the right to end both of their lives with this bombshell, did he? _Well, it's now or never, right? It's not like I'll have the time to regret it._

"I think I finally understand what you were talking about." He said quietly.

"What...do you mean?" Yutaka asked, angling his head so he could see Shinji's face.

"The way you talk about Izumi...I finally get it. Loving someone so much...you'd risk everything for them. The sorrow of knowing you can't save them...I know why I just can't form connections with girls. I already love someone else. Yutaka, you are my Izumi." He stared down at Yutaka, whose eyes were wide with surprise. "You must be pretty freaked, huh? Who would have thought...Sho and I had something in common?" He grinned lewdly.

"Shinji…"

"It's alright, little buddy. I know...you don't…"

He was cut off as Yutaka lifted himself up and pressed his lips against Shinji's. He could taste blood-whether it was his or Yutaka's, he didn't know. But damn, did that kiss feel good. _Is it because we're dying, or because I 'love' him? I wonder, is this what bliss feels like?_ Slowly, Yutaka pulled away.

"I liked Izumi...but it's not the same as the way I like...you." Tears were still streaming down his face. "But come on, Shinji...there's no way you could have felt the same way..."He collapsed onto Shinji, causing the Third Man to fall back onto the ground. "At least, that's what...I thought."

"Well...looks like you were wrong." Shinji smiled. They stayed like that for a few moments; each feeling the other's shallow breathing. Their time was running out.

_We're not gonna make it, Yutaka. I'm sorry. Ikumi, uncle...be happy for me. I finally found someone nice to settle down with._

"Shinji...I don't-I don't want to die." He gripped the blond boy's uniform as a coughing fit overtook him. "I'm scared." The fear in Yutaka's voice broke Shinji's heart.

_I don't think I can get us out of this one, buddy._

"Ah...don't be. We'll go...together." It was a lame thing to say, but it was the best he could come up with. He wasn't Noriko-poetry wasn't his thing. Shinji shifted his body, gently lowering Yutaka to the ground so that the smaller teen's head was resting on his arm. He gazed into Yutaka's eyes, burning his image into his mind. "I'm glad that I got to see you, before…" He took one of Yutaka's hand in his own and gently squeezed it.

"Yeah. Me too." Yutaka smiled, fresh tears forming in his eyes. Shinji used the last of his energy to pull Yutaka to him, capturing Yutaka's lips for one last kiss.

"I'll see you on the...other side….right, Mim?" Yutaka asked softly. His eyes were closed.

Shinji summoned the last of his breath. "...Of course." _Please...if there is a God...if there is a heaven...let me be there for him._

He felt Yutaka relax into his arms, a peaceful expression on his face. Shinji felt the corner of his mouth lift, a smile of his own reflecting Yutaka's. He closed his eyes, letting his tears flow.

_I'm so glad to have found you, Yutaka. Really, I am. I'm so glad that we could be with each other in the end. _


End file.
